P. Diddy Loses Bling, Switches to Cubic Zirconia
That second part isn't true, but P. Diddy may want to consider going faux. While vacationing on Ibiza, a necklace belonging to Diddy was stolen from his villa. Estimated value: $7.6 million.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "He was livid when he found out the necklace had been stolen. He loves being extravagant and his collection of flash jewelry is his prized possession. It's a trademark for rappers, it's a status symbol. He will feel lost without it."
P. Diddy is hoping the necklace will be returned... and is scanning the sky for pigs.
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$5 Million Art Theft in Russia + Murder Mystery = What?
It's all over the papers: "Russia's Hermitage Museum reported theft of more than 220 works worth around $5 million" today. And by the way, the curator of the museum mysteriously died suddenly at the same time.
In a statement, the St. Petersburg museum said officials noticed the theft during a routine inventory check. It said the curator in charge of most of the collection where the theft occurred died suddenly at his workplace when the investigation began, and that his colleagues discovered the items were missing.
The museum did not identify the curator or say when or how he died.
"There are many strange aspects of this affair, but unfortunately, there is no doubt that it did not happen without the participation of museum staff," the museum statement said. It gave no other details.
Politicians On Layaway, Laws On Standby
As if the banking industry didn't get enough of a gift with last year's corrosive Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, they are back this year for more. And just as that bill offered no consumer protections, (on the contrary, it punishes consumers while allowing corporations to continue to break contracts and shed pensions via Chapter 11) their new pet legislation seeks to limit individuals' ability to protect themselves from identity theft. The name of the bill, the Financial Data Protection Act of 2006, is of course completely misleading. While 18 states have provisions for any consumer to "freeze" or limit access to their credit reports, the new "protection" would restrict freezes to those who have already had their identity stolen. And worse, the bill:
...would also weaken state laws requiring disclosure of security breaches. In California, businesses must notify people if their personal info "was, or is reasonably believed to have been, acquired by an unauthorized person."
Under the proposed federal legislation, such disclosure would have to be made only if a company determines that a security breach "is reasonably likely to result in harm or inconvenience" to individual consumers.
With identity theft rampant, and security breaches on the rise - including several examples of lapses by the federal government to go along with countless private sector breakdowns - why is it that consumer protections need to be weakened? The poor bankers say it's just too hard to follow state laws:
"In light of the continuing wave of legislation in the states creating a patchwork of standards with which our companies must comply, the need for comprehensive federal legislation in this area is vital."
It must be tremendously difficult for Bank of America to keep track of all of this on their lone 18th century abacus, but other factors are at work. Disclosing security breaches results in bad press, and it's cheaper to buy a few politicians (of both parties) than to do a better job of protecting consumer data. And more importantly credit freezes cut down on impulse purchases like cars, washer/dryers, and furniture.
When it comes to easy credit, a few bucks in legalized bribery is a small price to pay when the reward is the ability to sell goods with "NO MONEY DOWN / NO PAYMENTS 'TIL 2009!"
Stealing, Looting and Pretty Things on Rumsfeld's Desk
After the 9/11 attacks, firefighters searched for survivors as the smoldering ruins burned the soles off their boots. They needed new ones every few hours. It was the job of Chris Christopherson to make sure they got them. He worked for Keiger Enterprises on Minnesota, a disaster supply management company and he was doing something important.
Imagine his disappointment when the company sent trucks to a Long Island warehouse and loaded hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of donated bottled water, clothes, tools and generators to be moved to Minnesota in a plot to sell the goods and earn a fast track to Satans very hot apartment. Americans had donated all of the supplies.
Christopherson and a co-worker complained to a company executive, but were told to shut their pie holes. Finally they went to the FBI. The two lost their jobs, received death threats and were blackballed in the disaster relief industry. But they had done the right thing and they knew that, as they watched absolutely NOTHING happen. But the two did receive $30,000 each after expenses, their share in a civil settlement against KEI. It is hard to imagine what to do with all that money.
The theft case was referred to prosecutors in New York and was moving forward until it was discovered that an FBI agent in Minnesota had stolen a crystal globe from ground zero. Uh oh, time to slow things down. A further investigation revealed 16 government employees, including a top FBI executive and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, had such artifacts from New York or the Pentagon. FEMA investigator Kirk Beauchamp put it best.
How could you secure an indictment? It would be a conflict.
Well said, brother. The FBI decided not to pursue the investigation, as it would mean prosecuting FBI agents. Case dropped because the FBI decided stealing exposing their taking of a few trinkets was comparable to the theft of 45 tons of emergency supplies. Good call.